EB45 Summarizes The Orioles Draft

Aberdeen Reporter Dan Malone has this to say about the Rule 4 Draft

First six rounds (seven picks) were all HS guys except Stephen Tarpley, a JC guy. Lots of upside picks there, obviously. There's plenty of discussion of Harvey and Hart so you can read that I guess. Three HS catchers in the first six rounds was noteworthy. Sisco (2) is a bat-first guy who just switched to C, Heim (4) is a cold-weather kid whose glove is ahead of his bat, Murphy (6) is a local kid from Calvert Hall with some power and potential for more. Tarpley and Seabrooke (3 and 5) are projectable lefties with three-pitch mixes. Dosch and Mancini (7 and 8) are college bats with emphasis on bat, Dosch might be a 3B long-term but it's his bat that will carry him, Mancini has big power but questions in his swing and almost no defensive ability: he's a 1B right now and might not even be that in the future.

Tyler is the big name as far as potential overslots. Seems he fell because of bonus demands or a strong commitment to Georgia. Not quite sure why, everyone loves him as a prospect it seems.

Senior signs: C Austin Wynns (10), RF Mike Yastrzemski (14), RHP Nick Cunningham (20), SS Jared Breen (24), OF Conor Bierfeldt (29), SS Jeff Kemp (33), LHP Eric Green (37), SS Justin Viele (38), LHP Augey Bill (39). These guys should be org. depth but you never know. Yastrzemski is notable because of his name but he's also not a Ryan Ripken, he was a starter at Vanderbilt and can hit a bit.

Potential overslots include Tyler, Layne Bruner (projectable LHP out of Washington state, three-pitch mix and good feel for pitching), Levi Scott (Texas JC 1B with some power), Randolph Gassaway (GA HS 1B, athletic with a good bat), Dustin Hagy (big FL RHP with a clean action), and Parker Bugg (CA HS RHP, 6'6 and skinny, flashes a good breaking ball). Most of these guys probably won't sign but one or two could really add to the draft.

There's also the usual college reliever and shortstop brigade, most of whom aren't entirely worth tracking. Guys who might be something include Jake Bray (12th round, MLB.com writeup likes his FB/SL combo and indicates he has a feel for a changeup, reliever in college but could start as a pro), Reid Reilly (Cal Poly closer, throws three pitches so will get a chance to start), Jon Keller (big righty, won the D2 national championship game, FB in the low 90s, has the frame but needs the stuff).

Then there's a few guys who I know nothing about besides their name, school, and measurables but some of those intrigue me anyway: LHP Steven Brault (11th round picks are usually somewhat worthwhile since it's the first round after the bonus pool), Tyler Walsh (Indiana high school shortstop, 6'5 so maybe there's a bat?), Stefan Crichton (6'5 righty from TCU), Dylan Rheault and Augey Bill (both 6'9 which is always interesting). Also there's Federico Castagnini who has the best name of any O's draftee this year.

Rajsich has said they plan to sign about 30 guys. At first glance this class looks a bit promising but we'll see who actually signs.

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Did a little more research.

Add Daniel Ayers to the list of guys potential overslots. He's a HS lefty from Indiana with good size and projectability, a low 90s fastball, and a potential plus curve. Committed to Western Michigan. BA had him #177, top five rounds material. Presumably fell due to signability.

Federico Castagnini grew up in Italy, which makes him interesting automatically. He came to the US to play college ball and landed at Creighton, where he bunted a lot and showed a good glove and the ability to play a lot of infield positions. Probably a MiL utility guy but you never know.

Melewski touched on something recently that I also noticed: lots of these pitchers taken are big guys. Ten of the O's 40 picks are pitchers who are listed by MLB at 6'4 or taller, plus four HS pitchers listed at 6'3. Even the hitters are big: Heim, Mancini, Gassaway, Walsh, and Scott are all 6'3-6'5.

Another trend is that besides catcher, there weren't a lot of skill position players taken. The first SS was Tyler Walsh, who probably isn't a SS long-term because of his height, and after that, three senior signs and the aforementioned Castagnini. Hart was one of just three outfielders taken in the first 30 rounds, one a round 29 senior sign, and the other RF Mike Yastrzemski. Dosch was the only 3B taken, and there were no second basemen. So it looks like there will be some leftovers signed to fill out the lower level position player spots.